Flag of Somalia

Facts about the flag:
The bright shade of blue is taken from the UN flag, which is a reminder of the period in which Somalia was a UN-mandated area after World War II.

The star in the middle of the flag, with five points, stands for the five Somali groups in the ancient Italian and British colonies, as well as in Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti.

The flag was originally created by the Italian UN-mandated area, formerly known as the Italian Somaliland. In 1949, the decision was made that Somalia would become independent within a period of ten years, and the flag was hoisted as a symbol of that decision. When Somalia became independent, the country decided to keep the flag.